Cooking any dish,
plain or fancy, is easier and more fun if you are
familiar with its ingredients and the method of preparation. German
cooking makes use of some ingredients that you may not know. Sometimes
special cookware is also used, although the recipes in my recipe file can
easily be prepared with ordinary utensils and pans. Once you have
picked out a recipe to try, read through it frorm beginning to end.

Donna and I were blessed to experience the wonderful
tastes of the country. The foods of Germany are unique in their
substance and preparation. Having lived in Kaiserslautern for seven
years we spent time each week enjoying the fine foods of the different
regions in and around the entire country.

We explored the
wine country and enjoyed the times of the Oktoberfest. Although we
certainly enjoy both the many types of sausages and the sauerkraut there is
much more to German Cuisine that this.

German chefs are
master soup makers and bakers. The soups are rich and hearty.
The
breads are heavy and tasty. Our favorite bread was the simple German
brochen or hard crust roll. It is used for everything from a Wurst Bun
to the meals bread plate served with butter.

Germans are meat eaters and their
main meal of the day is heavy with meat. I am particularly fond of the
Schweinhaxen (Pork Hock) and Schnitzel
of all types. A favorite is the wiener schnitzel. Wiener schnitzel is traditionally prepared from a thinly-sliced piece of
veal, which is further tenderized by pounding with a meat mallet
and then successively dipped into wheatflour,
eggs and
breadcrumbs
before being fried in a pan with an ample portion of melted, hot lard.
Sometimes the breadcrumbs are seasoned with freshly ground black pepper.
Traditionally, Wiener schnitzel
is served with cucumbersalad
or potato
salad and a slice of
lemon.
Optional side dishes are roasted potatoes,
French fries (chips), and lingonberry sauce. I also
favor the Rahm schnitzel and the Jaeger schnitzel.

Spaetzle [SHPEHT-sluh; SHPEHT-sehl; SHPEHT-slee] Literally
translated from German as "little sparrow," Spaetzle is a dish
of tiny noodles or dumplings made with flour, eggs, water or
milk, salt and sometimes nutmeg. The Spaetzle dough can be firm
enough to be rolled and cut into slivers or soft enough to be
forced through a sieve, colander or Spaetzle-maker with large
holes. The small pieces of dough are usually boiled (poached)
before being tossed with butter or added to soups or other
dishes. In Germany, Spaetzle is served as a side dish much like
potatoes or rice, and is often accompanied by a sauce or gravy.
The cooked Spaetzle can also be pan-fried with a little butter
and onions (usually a good left-over idea).